


Every Breath

by thatsoccercoach



Series: Which Door? [58]
Category: Outlander & Related Fandoms, Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Gotham's Writing Workshop, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 09:36:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14054079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatsoccercoach/pseuds/thatsoccercoach
Summary: "It was there with every breath."





	Every Breath

                                                              

Murtagh engaged the turn signal of his car before cautiously rounding the corner. In a school zone, you never knew when children would come flying out into the street and one could never be too careful. Pulling alongside the curb nearly a block from the school, he put the car into park, got out, and locked the doors behind him. Claire had called and asked if  he’d be able to pick up Faith and Bree today as she was unable for reasons unknown to him. Last time it had been because their dog, Lord John, had eaten something and, according to Claire, was experiencing “digestive tract challenges” that required a visit to the vet. He sincerely hoped _that_ wasn’t the issue. His attention was quickly drawn away from his wondering when he spied the two young girls.

“Murtagh!” Faith and Brianna came barreling down the sidewalk from the classrooms that contained the youngest children at the primary school. Both girls had backpacks on their backs, coordinating lunch bags in their hands, and grins on their faces. He loved moments like this as they harkened back to the times when the lass’ father and aunt had been small and he’d picked them up at school. He knelt down just before they reached him and launched themselves into his strong arms.

“Guess what Murtagh?” Bree stuck her face close to his and inquired enthusiastically. “Mama packed me a cupcake in my lunch. Yesterday at supper I ate my carrots so I got a treat today!” she grinned, looking frighteningly like Jamie at the same age. Murtagh knew that Claire had been battling Bree over eating her vegetables lately and since she couldn’t control what her fierce little red-head ate at school, dinner was the time that she dared to dangle bait.

He gently set both girls firmly on the ground and grasped one small hand in each of his large ones as they walked to the car together. Bree continued to ramble on about her day while Fatih walked in contented silence sharing giggles and smiles when appropriate. It always surprised him how tiny the lasses were, how long it took to walk such a short distance with such small steps. And yet, he savored the time spent together.

“Guess what Murtagh?” Brianna began again as he started the long process of fastening all the buckles that two small children required in the car. “Today, in reading groups, I got to be first to read and first to answer questions. And now,” she scrunched up her face in a squinting motion, “I can see all the letters because I have glasses and exercises for making my eyes strong!”

“Aye lass, ye’ve strong eyes for sure,” he smiled at her. He looked at Faith, sitting in her seat waiting patiently to be buckled in. “And what of you, Faith? Tell me your highs and lows.” He’d heard Jenny ask her bairns about their “highs and lows” one day and they’d elaborated on the most challenging aspect of the day as well as a highlight. It was a much better question than “did you have a good day?” because the children all answered with more details and conversation.  Faith always answered thoughtfully and he enjoyed listening to her.

“Well, today we had library and I had to return the book that I was reading. I wasn’t done yet, but someone else had it reserved. Mama said we could look for it at the public library though instead of waiting for it to be back at school.” She paused and looked intensely at him in the rearview mirror. “I like to discuss things _before_ they happen that way Mama and I can make a plan.”

“A wise woman ye are, Faith,” he confirmed and she giggled, losing her serious mood. “And what of the high then?”

“Well, in gym we run the track, once a month. We run two whole laps!” She raised her eyebrows at that. It was quite the long run for children of that age, Murtagh knew. “I listened to what you told me last time, about looking far ahead and not at my feet, and I’ve been practicing too.” Once more she was serious.

“She practices _all_ the time,” inserted Bree, disinterestedly, looking out the window. “She made a plan to practice _loads_. Mama says ‘if you want to be sessful, make a plan’ so Faith did.”

“Mama says ‘if you want to be _successful’_ Bree. And yes,” she said primly, folding her hands in her lap. “I did make a plan.”

“Aye weel, how was gym then?” he asked her, curious to see where her story went.

“We didn’t have gym today, but the big boys raced at recess.” A rarely seen glint of mischief sparkled in her eyes.

She definitely resembled her mother in moments like that, thought Murtagh. Claire’s whiskey-colored eyes often communicated what her words did not and Faith had inherited that trait in spades.

“The big boys don’t ken about suc-sess-ful plans!” Brianna crowed in distinct syllables.

“They sure don’t!” Faith grinned. “They didn’t want to race a little girl but I told them I wanted to and the teachers said to just let me do it. We did two laps, Murtagh. Two laps and I beat everyone, even the big boys!”

Faith was used to being the smallest in her grade. She still was often ill and she was delicate and fine-boned. She was also quick witted and wise beyond her years. Murtagh had no doubt that the child knew herself well enough to know if her plan would have prepared her for the race.

They pulled into the drive to Lallybroch, parked the car, but stayed in place to hear the continuation of how Faith managed to finish the race in first place. “How did ye manage a feat such as that?” Murtagh prompted from the driver’s seat.

“Well, I’ve been _practicing_ , remember?” she quirked her eyebrows at him making her sister giggle as she watched. “So, I practiced and I made sure I ran with good form, you know?” She gestured as if good running form was something every Primary 2 student knew about. “Like Da taught me to. I breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth but then guess what happened after one lap?”

Murtagh had rarely seen the lass so animated and he couldn’t help but smile even wider. “What happened?” he responded.

“Yes!” Bree clapped her hands. “Don’t stop!”

“I ran until I got a stitch in my side and it wouldn’t go away. It was there with _every breath_.”

Even her storytelling sounded labored now, thought Murtagh. She was a born Scot, that one. Telling stories that had everyone’s rapt attention.

“But I kept going and instead of thinking about that, I thought of how Mama said that my plan was good and would work.”

“Mama is really smart,” chimed in Bree yet again.

Faith smiled serenely in spite of the interruption. “I knew that Mama always makes good plans for me, Da too,” she clarified. “And so I just knew it would work and it did!” she stated simply, tossing her hands into the air.

In that moment he took the opportunity to hop out of the car and begin unfastening the girls, helping them out their respective doors. “Faith, ye are braw, and bonnie, and canty, and strong,” he knelt in front of her, taking her full attention before they joined the family inside. “Never stop making yer plans, lass. Ye are a success already.”

She threw herself into his arms and he proudly carried her home.


End file.
